Bungie Reveals "Destiny" and Its Vision for the Next 10 Years of MMO Gaming

Bungie, the company that brought forth Halo, is embarking on a new MMO called Destiny that is designed to be unlike any gaming experience we’ve seen. There are few hard details available, such as a launch date or pricing, but Bungie gave a preview that teased the game and showed off concept art.

It’s a large-scale MMO set in a post-apocalyptic world, but the gameplay and social interaction is supposed to be far more natural and fluid than other MMOs. There will apparently not be any subscription model, so gamers won’t have monthly fees to deal with, either.

If nothing else, the concept sounds like a fun setup for a game. Some alien force nearly wiped out humanity, but a mysterious orb called the Traveler saved what’s left of our species. The Traveler appears dead, but the giant ball hangs over the city that humanity’s remnants cobbled together. But apparently weren’t not alone, and the creatures on the outside of the city are trying to finish us off. Players start out as guardians of the city and are armed with some of the Traveler’s (very cool) weapons.

By dint of being a MMO world, the city you’re protected is sort of populated by real people joining the game from all over. And of course, you can create your own character, earn gear, and fight enemies, and there will be options for solo activities as well as collaborative ones.

What’s more, Bungie plans to develop a certain storyline with Destiny over the course of the next decade. There will be 10 “books”, complete with a story arc, so it follows that the world will evolve in a manner of speaking even as people participate in activities to change things within it.

This is a seriously bold venture for Bungie, but it sounds deeply intriguing. Here’s hoping they can pull it off.